School Dance
by Beeria
Summary: Pupils either love it or hate it but the question is, will they find love at this year's school dance? Clorith, Reffie, Zafa and others. Valentine fic
1. Chapter 1

**School Dance**

"Did you hear? Aerith and Sephiroth broke up!" 

"No way!"

Cloud stopped writing, his attention falling upon the two people in front of him gossiping. He usually wasn't one to meddle in anyone else's business but because this involved his crush and his most hated school companion, he just found himself listening in.

"Yeah, Aerith broke it off," the redhead male continued, nodding as he did so as if to confirm what he had heard. The blonde-haired girl gasped slightly.

"I thought they were going to last," she muttered but the boy snorted.

"Nah, Aerith is too sweet for someone as selfish as Seph," he replied. "Anyways, I wonder who they'll be going with to the dance now."

Cloud sighed softly and focussed back on his work once the conversation turned to the annual school dance. He had never went to one and hated them for that fact. He wasn't good enough to get a girl to go with him anyway.

* * *

News of the couple's break-up spread like wildfire through the school, with different versions as to why it had come about. Cloud wasn't interested in any of them, especially since many of the rumours pointed the finger to Aerith as the reason for the split. Cloud had no doubt that Sephiroth had used his popularity to put a mark against her name and make sure that her version of the story wouldn't be believed. The only ones who seemed to believe Aerith were himself, Zack, Tifa, Yuffie and the redhead in his classroom, Reno.

A raven-haired boy with a spiky hairstyle similar to Cloud sat down beside him at the cafeteria table, nudged him, and gave him a large grin.

"Well Spike, now's your chance to sweep Aerith off her feet," he winked, laughing as Cloud's cheeks turned scarlet. Tifa and Yuffie, two black-haired girls appeared, taking the two seats opposite the boys. Tifa looked slightly saddened as she glanced at Cloud every so often but Yuffie looked ecstatic.

"Reno asked me to the dance!" she explained even though nobody had asked. Zack choked on his drink but whether out of surprise or laughter, Cloud could not tell. Tifa blinked.

"I didn't think you were the type of girl interested in the dance," she said, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes and fixing the girl with a curious stare. Yuffie shrugged.

"I'm not interested in the dance. I want the free drink!"

Cloud snorted. That was more like Yuffie. And Reno come to that. Cloud reckoned that was the whole reason the redhead had asked the girl, so that he would not get drunk alone.

"What about you Teef?" Zack asked, catching the crimson-eyed female's attention. "You got a partner?"

She sighed, her eyes crossing onto Cloud for a second. "No."

"Really? I would have thought the guys would be fighting over you by now," he continued, rubbing the back of his neck and staring out of the window. He didn't see Tifa scowl.

"Yeah because I'm just a prize to be won!" she snapped, standing up and storming out of the hall before anyone could say anything. Yuffie made a dramatic whistle, Cloud sat in slight shock, and Zack just looked between the two before he slammed his head against the table. He lifted it a second later with a groan.

"That didn't help," he muttered, rubbing his forehead. Yuffie rolled her eyes and gave him a 'you think?' look. Zack sighed. "Why can you never please a woman?"

"Because we have brains and can tell when you quote stuff from movies, songs, valentine cards and so on. Delete as applicable." Yuffie replied, picking at her hamburger. Zack threw her an agitated look, sticking his tongue out before he buried his face in his hands again.

"What am I supposed to do?" he groaned. "She hates me now! I was only doing a subtle joke, you know? Besides, it was meant as a compliment."

Yuffie scoffed and mumbled against the food in her mouth. "Yeah, girls _love_ it when you treat them like they're your property. They'll have their knickers off in seconds."

"Shut up!" Zack hissed. Yuffie raised an eyebrow in a intimidating manner but remained silent. Cloud sighed.

"I could talk to her," he suggested but Zack just chuckled and shook his head.

"Nah, it's my mess. I should go and sort it. See you later." With that said, the raven-haired youth got up from the table and left. Cloud took a gulp of his water, gazing out of the window until he felt Yuffie staring at him.

"What?"

"Who are you taking to the dance?" she asked, sipping her coke through a straw in a bored manner. Cloud lowered his eyes and shrugged. Yuffie sighed and put her drink down. "Not going to ask Aerith?"

"She would never go with me."

"Did she say that?" the girl asked, taking two chips in between her fingers and stuffing them into her mouth. Cloud frowned.

"No, I never asked her," he answered. "Besides, she doesn't have to say it. Her status does that for her."

Yuffie chuckled slightly and rolled her eyes. "You make it sound as if she's the queen or something."

"Well she is the most popular girl in school and I'm…" he sighed and waved his hand dismissively. Th girl sighed.

"Fine," she muttered, standing up. "But if you don't ask her soon, someone else will and then _you'll_ be even more emo than usual!" she said, picking up her tray.

"And I hate emos!"

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the reviews XD

Yes, Zack is going to like Tifa so if you don't like that pairing, I wouldn't read anymore. Personally, I think the pairing works but that's just me.

**School Dance**

Tifa stared sadly into the reflection before her, wiping away the few tears that still poured down her cheeks. Her pale skin was stained with tear marks and her normally beautiful crimson eyes were bloodshot. She gave a soft sigh, turning the tap on and threw some cold water on her face before inspecting it once more. After a moment of fixing her hair, she decided it would just have to do and she grabbed her stuff.

The moment she opened the door, she almost collided with Zack, who had been leaning on the lockers across from the toilets and had leapt forward upon her appearance. He grinned as he watched her hold her chest in a symbol of her fright, sending a glare his way. He suddenly let his expression change to a serious one and gave a small sigh.

"Hey, listen Teef, about earlier…I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…" he began before he rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, can we go for a walk or something? I don't really want everyone around at the moment."

Tifa frowned but gave a small shrug. "Yeah, okay."

Zack nodded and led the way out into the school grounds. They walked across the car park in silence, heading for the grassy banks that surrounded the school. Zack plopped down instantly, staring up at the sky with little interest. Tifa sat beside him, her legs crossed and the palms of her hands firmly on the ground.

"So?" she said at length after a moment of silence. "Why did you want to come out here?"

"Huh? Oh, I want to say I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean it like that."

Tifa sighed. "I know. I was just upset that the boy I liked wasn't going to ask me and I took it out on you. I'm the one who should apologize."

Zack was silent for a moment, shifting his gaze away from her but Tifa didn't notice as she twirled a daisy between her fingers.

"Why can't Cloud see how I feel about him?" she asked, opening up her palm and watching the flower float with the wind. She sighed again, falling to lie on her back. "It would be so much easier than chasing after Aerith."

"Well, he cant help who he loves," the raven-haired youth replied in monotone, pulling at the grass beneath him. Tifa sat up with a startled expression.

"He loves her?"

Zack mimicked her movement and gave a half-shrug. "Well, I was exaggerating a little but come on Teef; you know how much he likes her."

Tifa brought her legs up to her chest and hugged her knees as she scrunched up her face. "Yeah but…"

"And you know how you treated him when we were in Primary school don't you?" he interrupted, finally looking up at her. She scowled slightly.

"That was different! I was a kid…I didn't know any better!" she defended. Zack shifted to sit on his knees.

"Yeah, well all I'm saying is you had your chance and you blew it."

"Your sympathy is touching." Tifa stated, standing up as she heard the echo of the bell ringing. Zack quickly followed suit, grabbing her hand as she moved to walk away.

"Tifa, Cloud's moved on from his crush on you. He's forgiven you for what you did to him and let you become one of his best friends. Don't you think it's a little selfish to ask for more when you shoved it away?"

Tifa lowered her eyes and gave a slight pout. "I…guess."

Zack nodded and let go of her hand. Tifa turned to walk towards the building and Zack watched her leave, scratching his head.

"Teef?" he called, waiting until she turned to face him. "You wouldn't fancy going with me instead would ya?" he asked, giving her his trademark grin. Tifa blinked in surprise.

"What?"

Zack shrugged. "It's just…I've liked you for a while…"

* * *

Cloud blinked as Yuffie dropped a piece of paper in front of him and then stood with her arms folded, awaiting his reaction. He skimmed through it and raised an eyebrow.

"Jane Austin?" he repeated. "What about her?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes, wriggling her finger in a symbol that he should move closer. "It's Aerith's favourite author. She's over there right now!"

Cloud tilted his head to look at the fiction section before looking back at Yuffie, who raised her eyebrows in an expression of encouragement.

"Get going!" she hissed, looking at her watch. "I have to go and meet Reno."

"Don't you have classes?" he asked with a frown. Yuffie smirked.

"Yeah," she replied casually. Cloud shook his head. It was just typical of the girl to skip classes whenever Reno was around. It didn't take a genius to work out Yuffie was fond of Reno and vice versa. They may not have acted all lovey-dovey with each other but the attraction between them was clear.

He glanced at the paper again and then looked down at his essay that he had planned on writing during his study periods that he was on now. He could easily get some Jane Austin quotes in there, since the question was about portrayal of women in society. He could ask Aerith for advice on what Austin's books were about.

However, when he turned the corner and saw Aerith sitting at the table, her head buried in a book, he felt his courage leave him. What was he thinking? Aerith wasn't in any of his classes this year and she had only been in one the year before. She wouldn't even know who he was. He sighed and turned to leave but his sounds alerted her to his presence. She looked up, meeting his eyes and gave a small, greeting smile. Cloud felt his face flush and quickly lowered his head to hide the expression beneath his hair.

"It's Cloud…right?" she said suddenly, tilting her head to the side. Cloud turned his head away further, his eyes widening slightly. She remembered him?

"Yeah," he replied softly, rubbing the back of his neck. He had picked up that habit from Zack. She smiled again before returning to her book. Cloud hovered for a moment before he decided he should speak. "Uh…so you like Jane Austin then?" he asked lamely. She met his eyes again.

"Yes, she's my favourite author," she answered and then she laughed. "I've reached the page where Darcy is introduced. I'd say that was ironic considering my situation."

Cloud frowned. He had never read any of Austin's works but he was aware that Darcy was meant to be the perfect man, the one all the girls wanted. It didn't take him long to figure how she had linked it to Sephiroth.

"You don't deserve Sephiroth," he said absentmindedly as he looked around him. Aerith blinked in surprise.

"What?" she asked, frowning a little. Cloud blushed.

"I…just meant there'll be a guy somewhere who'll treat you better ."

Aerith sighed. "Well he can wait. I'm not interested in boys at the moment. Not so soon after this."

Cloud lowered his eyes. How could he have been so stupid as to think she would be interested anyway? How insensitive would it be to say, 'hey sorry about your break-up how about going to the dance with me instead?' He sighed softly. Aerith glanced at him.

"Are you alright?"

Cloud nodded and turned to leave feeling Aerith's bewildered stare following him. He made his way back to his table, a feeling of annoyance building with each step until he turned around, walked right back up to Aerith, and took a deep breath.

"Okay, I heard what you said," he sighed. "But would you like to go to the dance with me?"

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**School Dance**

Zack grinned at the expression that crossed Tifa's face. It was a look between shock and amusement, as if she thought he was up to his old pratical jokes.

"Very funny Zack," she teased lightly, punching his arm playfully. "But I don't need a sympathy date." Zack's grin widened as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's good because this isn't one. I mean it. I've liked you for a while." Tifa's look became one of pure shock.

"You what?"

"I really like you Teef, I've never felt this strongly for a girl."

"But I...you can't!" she cried, moving away from him. Zack frowned, a hurt expression crossing his face."You just can't!"

"Why? What's so wrong about it?" he demanded, moving his hands to his hips. The raven-haired girl sighed softly and shook her head.

"I don't know. It just seems...weird. We're friends right?" she asked and he nodded immediately. "I don't want to lose that."

"How do you know if we'll lose it if you won't even give it a chance?" he questioned. Tifa turned towards him again, letting out a deep sigh. For so long, she had chased after Cloud and had not really cared about whether other guys liked her or not. Maybe it was time to move on. Cloud obviously didn't like her in the way she wanted.

"Okay, it's a date," she smiled.

* * *

Yuffie knew that Cloud probably thought she was skipping classes but she wasn't. She had just dropped her biology class and now had some periods to spare. She couldn't be bothered explaining it all to Cloud in that single moment, especially when he had to concentrate on winning Aerith over. A goofy grin spread across her young face at the thought of Cloud trying to chat up Aerith. The images caused her to break into giggles as she walked out onto the grass that surrounded the school buildings.

"Hey, I'm over here!" a male voice called suddenly causing her to jump out of her thoughts. Reno was sitting on the grassy banks at the other side of the field, waving cheerfully at her. She didn't know why, but seeing him there made her heart skip a beat.

"Urgh get a grip Yuffie!" she scolded herself softly. "Don't go getting **_those_** type of feelings for him."

She made her way over to him, waving her hand in a bored manner, and taking a seat next to him, still deep in her thoughts of her feelings. Reno seemed to notice her mood and tilted his head to the side.

"What's up with you?" he asked, frowning slightly. Yuffie snapped her gaze towards him but quickly turned away when her eyes met hers. She cursed softly as she felt her cheeks heat up and quickly adjusted her hair to hide it.

"Nothing. Why?"

"Well, normally you're talking about one of the school bitches, or how you've been given an unfair amount of homework but you're not speaking about anything."

"I'm…not really in the talkative mood," she sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging them.

"So there is something wrong!" he smirked victoriously and Yuffie couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her lips.

"I guess so," she replied with a small shrug. Reno pulled out a cigarette and lit it, still glancing at the girl beside him. After taking a drag, he addressed her.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he asked, flicking the ash off the end. Yuffie sighed and shook her head.

"You're kind of the one person I can't talk to about this." Reno raised an eyebrow and Yuffie suddenly frowned. "Can you put that thing out? Nobody likes being around an ashtray!" she complained. To her surprise, Reno stubbed it out on the steps next to him and turned back to her.

"Happy?" he asked. She nodded and sighed again.

"Okay, I'll tell you what's going on but you've got to promise me that you won't hate me and that you won't be nasty about it." Reno locked eyes with her for a moment and slowly nodded. Yuffie took a deep breath and looked down at the ground.

"Well, it started when you asked me to the dance. I got this fluttery feeling inside," she laid a hand on her chest to emphasise as she continued. "But I ignored it, thinking it was just some girlish excitement related to dancing or something, you know what I mean? But then, ever since then I have just been having them whenever I see you. I…I think I love you."

She turned to face Reno who was sitting with a shocked expression on his face. He didn't say anything, even when she waited for a couple of minutes, he still sat there in silence. "Reno? Say something, please," she begged, feeling tears building behind her eyes. However, the redhead still didn't speak. Instead, he leaned forward and grabbed Yuffie, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Her eyes widened in surprise but soon fluttered closed as she realised that Reno was really kissing her.

All to soon though, he pulled away, his hand stroking her cheek and brushing the hair out of her eyes. He smiled softly.

"I fucking love you too."

* * *

Cloud felt his cheeks burn to an unimaginable heat as Aerith stared at him in shock and slowly lowered her book.

"Wow," she breathed, blushing slightly. Cloud lowered his face, feeling like an idiot for acting the way he had. "Um…Cloud, I'm flattered but I don't even know you I think…"

"No, it's okay." Cloud interrupted, scratching his head and giving her a small smile. "I understand. I didn't think you would anyway." He turned and walked away with a defeated air around him. He felt like such an idiot for believing he actually stood a chance.

"Cloud? Wait, I wasn't finished!" she called, chasing after him and grabbing his arm, forcing him to turn around. "Maybe we could go out sometime before the dance and get to know each other."

Cloud blinked. "What?"

"I'm free Thursday," she continued, tilting her head to the side. Cloud opened his mouth but no words came out so he tried again.

"Uh, Thursday's…good," he replied lamely. Aerith smiled.

"Great, I'll see you then. About seven? At the cinema?"

"Uh…yeah."

"Okay, I'll see you later then," she grinned, grabbing her coat and leaving the library. Cloud watched her walk along the corridor with a dumb expression painted on his face. Slowly, it dawned upon him that Aerith had asked **_him_** on a date. Cloud Strife! He wanted to just jump out and shout "YES!" but the look the librarian was giving him was enough for him to push that thought out of his mind. Smiling innocently, he grabbed his books and left, feeling her disapproving stare following him every step of the way.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Oh my God I watched "The Notebook" today and I was in tears! People shouldn't be allowed to make such depressing movies! No wonder everyone is depressed nowadays! Good movie though lol.

**

* * *

School Dance**

"Whoa! Way to go Cloud!" Yuffie cheered when he told the group that Aerith had asked him on a date while they walked down the road from the school. Yuffie jumped up and down excitedly and Reno made a crude joke, which earned a slap across the head from Yuffie. Zack punched his shoulder and Cloud actually feared the taller male had broken his whole arm with the force he used. Zack had always been too strong for his own good. Tifa had smiled and congratulated him and that had really surprised him. She had been quite moody and sulky recently but he was glad that whatever had been bothering seemed to have passed now.

"So where are you taking her?" Zack asked.

"Gonna give her a flower before or after the date?" Reno added. Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"You're acting like he's been on a date before or something," she said exasperatedly. Zack and Reno both stared at Cloud, who blushed and mumbled something to himself. Tifa spoke up.

"Well, Cloud's shy. I'm sure if he had a bit more self confidence he'd find loads of girls would go out with him."

They stopped at the corner sweet shop, getting a chocolate bar each to replenish the energy they used in their afternoon lessons. When they came back out again, Yuffie went down the street to her house. The others crossed the road and made their way towards the park.

"Cloud it looks like you need the advice of the Great Zack," said the raven-haired boy with a big grin. Reno raised an eyebrow and Tifa had an amused smirk on her lips. Cloud just looked completely mortified at being the centre of attention.

"I think you'll be fine," Tifa said quickly as they approached the street that Reno and Cloud lived on, just beside the park. They said goodbye before Zack and Tifa carried on. He tilted his head to the side, watching her silently until she eventually turned to meet his gaze.

"What?"

He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Just checking for jealousy and sadness," he said. She frowned.

"Shut up Zack," she sighed, lowering her gaze to the ground and shaking her head lightly. Realising that she was upset, Zack threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him, taking her by surprise if the gasp that escaped her lips was anything to go by.

"Hey, you know I'm not going to be jealous about how you feel about him right? I know it's hard to get over someone but maybe, someday you might feel the same way about someone else."

She smirked and let her own arm wrap around his waist. "That wouldn't be you would it?"

"Well…" he replied with a grin. Tifa giggled and slowly shook her head. Zack was nothing like Cloud. He was loud, fun loving and just generally a people person. Cloud didn't like much contact with anyone and kept to himself. She stole a glance at Zack's face as if seeing it for the first time. She always knew that Zack was handsome, the guy all the girls wanted but she hadn't really allowed herself to fall for his looks or charms when she had been so obsessed with Cloud. Maybe now, since Cloud was definitely out of the picture, she would be able to move on.

When Thursday came, Cloud was a wreck. Whenever he passed Aerith and she smiled, he just blushed and got away as quickly as possible. He was worried about that evening. What if he messed up on the date and made a fool of himself? What if she was just using him to get at Sephiroth? He shook his head quickly. Aerith wasn't like that, he knew that much. Still, he wanted to look good and at least seem like he knew what he was doing. That meant he had only one option…

"Of course we'll help!" Tifa cried instantly. "Zack, you have some clothes that will fit Cloud right?"

"No problem," the raven-haired boy replied. Yuffie stood tapping her chin for a moment, looking Cloud up and down as he shifted nervously in his seat under her gaze. After a moment, Reno waved his hand in front of her but she still didn't blink. She did, however, take a deep breath and remove her hand from her face.  
"Teef, I'm thinking jeans. I think it should be smart casual. What do you think?" she said, turning to the other girl, who nodded eagerly.

"Definitely," she agreed. "It's a date so you have to look presentable but not to the extent that it looks like your going to a dinner party."

"What are you doing on this date Cloud?" Reno asked as he watched Zack shuffle a pack of cards in boredom.

"She wants to meet at seven outside the cinema," he replied. Reno took a seat opposite Zack and motioned for him to start dealing out the cards. He knew the consequences of getting in a girl's way when they were getting themselves or someone else ready for a night out.

"I was meaning as in moves," the redhead elaborated.

"Moves?" Cloud repeated as he watched Yuffie and Tifa raid through his wardrobe. Zack sniggered a little but immediately stopped when he saw the look Tifa gave him.

Reno rolled his eyes and muttered something about amateurs. Needless to say, the comment did nothing to help Cloud's confidence.

7.05…where was she? Cloud paced nervously outside the cinema. Maybe he had gotten the dates mixed up but he was sure she said Thursday so why wasn't she here? Sighing, he stuck his hands in his trouser pockets and looked down at his clothes. Tifa and Yuffie had looked out a smart white shirt to wear over casual jeans and a pair of trainers. He turned and looked in the glass automatic doors of the cinema, inspecting his hair before glancing at his watch again.

"7.06," he muttered letting his sleeve fall back over the object. Maybe she wasn't coming after all. He sighed softly, trying not to think of how to tell his friends that he had been stood up. He knew that it had all been to good to be true. Why would Aerith ever want to go out with him?

"Cloud!"

He stopped in his tracks as he heard her voice and tried to figure out if he was dreaming. But he wasn't. Aerith was running towards him, her black flats clipping against the ground as she tried to keep her hair out of her face. Cloud blinked at the sight. She was beautiful with her hair down.

"I'm so sorry I'm late!" she cried, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Little sister," she added. Cloud made an 'oh' sound and nodded.

"I don't have that problem. I don't have any siblings."

"I used to think Zack was your brother," she giggled. "Not just because you look similar but because you have the same gestures and habits."

Cloud realised he still had his hands in his pocket and quickly straightened up, cursing himself for his lack of effort. The date had hardly begun and he had messed up. Aeris glanced at him curiously, as she brushed down her green tank top and the top of her dark jeans.

"Are you okay?" she asked after a moment.

"Yeah," he replied quickly, making his way to the cinema doors. "Shall we?" he asked. She continued to stare at him for a moment before she gave a small nod and followed him inside.

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**School Dance**

Aerith tilted her head to the side as her eyes darted across the screens that were showing previews of the films that were on. After a moment of chewing her lip, she turned to Cloud with a small shrug.

"Any particular movie you want to see?" she asked politely. Cloud glanced across the screen for a few moments before scratching the back of his head.

"Um…I...no," he decided to reply. Chances are whatever movie he picked she would point and laugh at him. He was still trying to figure out why she had agreed on a date with him in the first place. It was going against the unwritten rules of school. Hot guys and girls didn't go with the people at the bottom of the beauty chain.

"Oh come on," she said, smiling softly. "What movie did you want to see?"

"It doesn't matter," he answered. "Whatever you want to see is cool."

The brunette raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing as she turned her gaze back to the screens. "Okay," she spoke eventually. "How about...Music and Lyrics?" she suggested. Cloud looked up at the screen above the movie name and shrugged.

"Sure," he agreed, even though he knew that it would more than likely be a romance, girly movie. He hated those with a passion. However, he was not going to ruin this big chance with Aerith so if he had to, he would sit through an hour of watching terribly clichéd smut.

"Aerith!" came a feminine squeal. Aerith and Cloud both turned around and Aerith immediately broke into a smile as another, slightly shorter brunette tackled her into a hug. Cloud raised an eyebrow, waiting for an introduction before his eyes fell upon a raven-haired boy who was making his way up to them.

"Hello Cloud," he greeted with a small nod.

"Hey Vincent," he replied, glancing at the two girls who had just finished hugging.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Aerith with a small giggle. "Cloud this is Lucrecia. Lucrecia this is Cloud."

Cloud outstretched his hand politely and Lucrecia accepted with a smile. "Nice to meet you Cloud. You know Vincent?"

"We're in the same History class." Vincent explained to the brunette beside him. She gave a small sound of understanding before turning to Aerith once more.

"I've not spoken to you in ages. I think the last time was when you were going out with Zack!"

Aerith's smile immediately disappeared as she glanced at Cloud's shocked expression. Vincent cleared his throat uneasily and averted his eyes to the screen. Lucrecia seemed to realise she had said something wrong as she took a deep breath and grabbed Vincent's arm, dragging him to the counter so they could buy tickets. Aerith lowered her gaze to the floor as she felt the tension build around them.

"You…you went out with Zack?" he asked with disbelief.

"It wasn't a serious relationship," she argued. "It didn't last very long at all."

"You went out with Zack?" Cloud repeated, his eyes narrowing. Aerith took a breath and bit her bottom lip.

"Does it matter?" she asked. "It was a long time ago and it wasn't serious!"

Cloud shook his head, stepping away from her. "I can't…" he didn't finish before he started walking out of the building. It took a moment for Aerith to realise what he was doing as she watched him pass through the doors and start down the street. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes but seriously, this was ridiculous she thought as she began chasing after him. Aerith stopped once she realised she was never going to catch up with him. She frowned after him, shivering in the cold air. This was not exactly what she had had planned.

* * *

Tifa flicked the page of the magazine, not really paying attention to the movie that was on. She was quite happy sitting on the end of the couch, her legs spread over onto Zack's lap as he stared intently at the screen. She glanced up again to see a car chase and slowly shook her head. Boyish movies had never appealed to her. She would watch Titanic and The Notebook any day. Yuffie, however, who was half curled into Reno with his arm around her shoulders, was into the film just as much as the boys were since she was more the tomboy kind of girl.

Tifa flipped the page again and gave a small gasp. "Wow," she breathed. Zack looked at her for a moment.

"What?"

She turned the magazine over to allow him to see a model wearing a beautiful knee length, spaghetti strapped dress. It was floaty style and a light blue shade, almost like the colour of the sky on a summer's day with sparkles all across the chest area that were brought out by the light surrounding the girl.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she said in awe. Zack looked intently and then glanced at Tifa.

"You should get it for the dance," he suggested and Tifa stared at him.

"It's a hundred pounds Zack!" she cried. "It's amazing but I can't afford that."

Immediately, Zack took his wallet out and handed her a two twenty-pound notes. Tifa's eyes widened as she looked between the money and him.

"I don't want charity," she said, turning her gaze away. Yuffie turned to Reno.

"Can I be your new girlfriend Zack?" she joked. Reno poked her playfully in the shoulder and she turned towards him with a wide grin, instantly snuggling back down against him.

Zack pocketed his money and scooted up closer to Tifa as he focussed on the television once more. She flashed him a smile before her attention went back on the article she was reading. It was a cute scene that was only broken when the front door slammed open. All four teenagers sat up and turned to face the door as Cloud entered with the angriest expression any of them had ever seen.

"Aren't you supposed to be out with Aerith?" Reno asked, stating the obvious. Cloud didn't even give the redhead a look, his glare focussed on Zack, who shrunk back instinctively.

"Why didn't you tell me you dated Aerith?" he hissed.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**School Dance**

Zack's mouth fell open as the room went silent and all eyes fell on him. For a moment, all he could do was stare at the blonde. Cloud's eyes were narrowed, a betrayal burning deep within them. Zack turned to face Tifa, who had a look between shock and anger on her face as she stared between the two boys.

"Reno weren't we going to do that maths project?" Yuffie said suddenly. Reno frowned.

"You don't do ma – ow!" he yelled as the girl nudged him in the ribs, raising her brows to tell him it was an escape path. He nodded in understanding and checked his watch.

"We should get going now if we're going to make a start."

"Yep, see ya," the girl called as the two ran out of the room. A second later, the door was heard being shut.

"Well?" Cloud snapped. "Are you going to tell me what is going on?"

Zack sighed and pushed himself to sit on the edge of the chair. "Can we talk about this somewhere else?" he asked. "Let's go up to my room. Teef, could you wait here please?"

The girl nodded dumbly, too stunned to do anything else as the boys left the room. Cloud continued to glare at Cloud's back all the way up to his friend's room. Zack opened the door and signalled for him to walk inside before he followed, shutting the door carefully behind him.

"Cloud you're making way too big a deal out of this!" Zack protested but Cloud's scoff interrupted him.

"Am I really Zack?" he yelled. "You know how long I've liked Aerith for and you went behind my back!"

Zack shook his head, taking a moment to reply to stop himself losing his temper. "Cloud, I won't lie to you okay. Yes, I did like Aerith before she started dating Sephiroth. Yes, we had something going on. But it didn't last! It was not serious. You want to know why?"

"No," the blonde snapped huffily, turning so his back was facing him. Zack sighed.

"It's because she always wanted you!"

Cloud looked up in surprise, his anger suddenly disappearing to be replaced by shock. He studied the older boy's face, searching for any signs of lying or mockery. There was none.

"She wanted…me?"

"She's been in love with you since…" he stopped for a moment before waving his arms around. "Forever!" he cried as he flopped into a chair. He pressed his hands together in a prayer like motion, letting them sit against his mouth for a second before letting them sit on his knees.

"Cloud, she's had a crush on you since she first moved here but she didn't think you felt the same. You were chasing around Tifa at the time. She decided to move on with me but it didn't work out. It is over between her and me. It wasn't anything special, nothing will suddenly re-spark between us."

Cloud watched him carefully before letting himself fall on Zack's bed with a heavy sigh. Zack stood up, and patted his friend's shoulder.

"Cloud, Aerith is a special girl. Don't lose her because of something in the past." With that said, the raven-haired boy left the room. Cloud sat in silence for a moment, his chin resting in his hands. He frowned softly at Zack's words, knowing deep down that his friend was right. He had overreacted and now, he was probably going to lose the one girl he had ever loved. Sure, he had crushed on Tifa once but the feelings he had for Aerith were so much stronger than that. He couldn't lose her. He didn't want to lose her.

* * *

"I'm bored!" Reno stated for what seemed like the thousandth time as he and Yuffie walked down the High Street for the ninth time. "What are we going to do?"

Yuffie chewed her lip and then shrugged as she walked to a chair and dropped herself in it. She let her elbows rest on her knees, her right palm holding her chin as she glanced at the silver chain watch on her left wrist.

"They should be finished arguing by now," she sighed. Reno raised a brow.

"Want to go back?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Nah, Cloud will be emo about Aerith and Zack will be wandering around trying to get back into Teef's good books. It will be as sappy as Romeo and Juliet on repeat." She glanced at her watch again. "Besides, I have to be home soon."

"Want me to walk you?" he asked, smirking slightly. She narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Don't think I'll invite you in for 'coffee,'" she teased, making speech mark symbols with her fingers on the word. Reno laughed and shook his head.

"Okay," he agreed with a shrug. "I prefer tea anyway."

She shook her head lightly, a small giggle escaping past her lips. Reno smiled in reply as he walked by her side. They remained walking side by side in silence until they reached the end of the road. It was then that Yuffie felt Reno slid his hand into hers. She glanced down and then up at him with a smile.

* * *

Cloud kicked a stone that lay in his path, listening to it clang against the metal of a nearby car. Zack and Tifa hadn't heard him leave. He hadn't wanted them too. He just needed time alone to think about what he should do. He wanted to call or text Aerith to say he was sorry but Cloud somehow knew that a simple phone call would not make her forgive him. Besides, she could easily just delete a text without reading or hang up if he called. He stopped for a moment, thinking hard.

He knew he had to say sorry for his actions, but he also knew that there was no way that would be enough. If being friends with Tifa for so long had taught him something, it was the fact that girls did not forgive easily.

Suddenly, an idea came to him and he sprinted off in the other direction. There were still some people put and about, throwing him curious looks as he raced past. He couldn't care less about them. He just had to reach Aerith. He rushed around the corner, pushing his legs into running faster.

"Yo Cloud!"

He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of his name and gave a rushed wave in the direction of Reno and Yuffie who were watching him with surprise.

"Where are you going?" Yuffie called, her hand still linked with Reno's.

Cloud didn't answer, he was too out of breath to shout back. Instead, he settled for hearing her shout obscenities after his form as he continued down the High Street and into one of the small streets on the other side of the main road. He slowed to a walk, breathing deeply as he made his way along the pavement, looking to both sides to try to see the door he was looking for.

A sigh of relief escaped him as he came to a large red door, the number twelve shining brightly in the streetlamp's glow. He made his way up the three thick stone steps and let his hand rest above the knocker for a few seconds. After a moment, he pushed all fear aside and knocked.

He could hear the sound of footsteps approaching followed by the click of the lock. The door opened with a creak, stopping just far enough to let green eyes peep out before the chain tightened, preventing it happening. They widened as they fell on him.

"Cloud?" Aerith greeted in surprise.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I'm an idiot, I shouldn't have been angry, I mean who cares if you dated Zack? It is just that I…I really like you, Aerith. I've liked you for so long."

She tilted her head to the side. "You have? But I thought you wanted Tifa."

"I did at one point but that was only a crush!" he answered, his tone showing his desperation. Aerith looked up at him, her eyes slightly wide.

"What do you mean?" she asked softly. Cloud swallowed.

"I love you."

He expected her to say it back, or at the very least smile. He hadn't expected the door being slammed in his face. He blinked in surprise, trying to think what he had done wrong when there was a scrap from behind the door and a second later, it flung open, the chain off and Aerith threw herself at him, nearly sending him toppling down the steps. He let his arms move, wrapping themselves around her and pulling her closer.

"Zack told me that you had liked me for ages," he said after a moment of silence. She pulled back, staring into his eyes.

"Yeah," she answered. "Lucrecia told me to move on, get over you because you were so hung up on Tifa at the time. When you asked me to the dance, I wanted to say yes straight away but I thought, you would think it strange if I had. I mean, with me being out of a serious relationship and half the time making no signs that I know who you are, I just…" she was cut off with a finger to her lips and blinked as Cloud smiled at her.

"You talk too much," he teased. She grinned.

"Well, I'm doing your half Mister Anti-sociable," she replied.

Cloud stared at her for the second before he slowly leaned forward, pressing his lips gently to hers. It was just a simple peck but when they had stared into each other's eyes for a second afterwards, they both moved in for a more passionate display of affection. A couple of people walked past, muttering about teenagers but they didn't care as they continued to hold each other tightly, too afraid of letting go.

When they finally did part for air, Cloud pressed his forehead against hers and his lips twitched into a smile. "So, you'll still come to the dance with me right?" he asked. She stared back at him, grinning in reply.

"Yeah," she whispered before pulling him back for another kiss.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

A whole two weeks until my next exams. Sorry for the lack recently but you know, exams are somewhat important…

I'm in a AWESOME mood. Guess what I found out Clorith fans!! In Kingdom Hearts, the Cloud/Aerith reunion in Hallow Bastion was "a treat for gamers" and "a chance to see the relationship between Cloud and Aerith that couldn't be expressed in Final Fantasy 7 because of Aerith's death"

/dances around the room with happiness/

Notice CloTis, he doesnt say "friendship" he says "relationship" /grins like a maniac/ Oh today is a good day!

Anyways...on with the story...

**School Dance**

"Mum, Dad! A boy is trying to kill Aerith!"

Cloud barely had time to pull away from her when her parents came rushing to the door with concerned expressions. A young brunette girl was glaring at him accusingly. Aerith smiled sheepishly at her mum who just shook her head with a smirk.

"Marlene, it's okay," she sighed.

"No! He had his mouth over hers and he wasn't letting her breathe!" Marlene insisted. Cloud's face turned a complete shade of scarlet as he turned his head away. Aerith waited until her parents had dragged the protesting girl back inside the house before turning to him with a small smile.

"Sorry about that," she said gently, clasping her hands behind her back. Cloud reached up a hand to scratch his hair nervously, occasionally glancing at the door in fear that Marlene would come racing out again.

"Not exactly the first impression I wanted to give your parents," he muttered. She giggled before slipping her hand in his and dragging him to the front door.

"They'll like you," she assured him, ignoring his protests as they entered the house. "Mum, Dad, this is Cloud. He's taking me to the dance."

Her mother blinked, clearly surprised by the admission. "You're not going with Sephiroth?" she asked. Cloud tensed at the sound of his name and an awkward silence filled the room.

"No," she replied eventually. "Things just weren't…right with Sephiroth."

Her mother raised an eyebrow but said nothing more on the matter. Marlene continued to stare coldly towards him, still believing him to be attempting murder on Aerith. Her father regarded him thoughtfully before he took off his glasses, placing them carefully on the table.  
"And what exactly are your intentions towards my daughter?" he asked politely.

"Uh…" Cloud began, rubbing his neck nervously.

"Dad!" Aerith screeched.

"John!" her mother hissed. Marlene blinked, clearly not understanding the conversation. He shrugged defensively.

"Just doing my duty as a father," he answered. Aerith shook her head, her cheeks aflame with embarrassment.

"Are you in the same classes at school then?" Aerith's mother asked, getting up and grabbing the kettle.

"No, we were last year but not this year," replied Aerith. She nodded as she filled the kettle.

"Tea or coffee Cloud?"

"Oh, no thank you Mrs Gast." He looked to Aerith uncertainly before continuing. "I really should be going. My mum will be worried," he replied, smiling politely. She smiled back and shook her head.  
"There is no need for formalities now Cloud. No 'Mr and Mrs Gast' Call us John and Ilfana."

"Um…okay," he said softly.

"I'll walk you to the door," Aerith piped, taking his hand. He gave a small wave, deciding to make a good impression on them. Marlene narrowed her eyes dangerously and he was sure he heard her muttering about how she did not want murderers in her family but he was distracted as Aerith smiled at him and opened the door. The cold evening air greeted them and Cloud shivered slightly as he stepped outside. He turned and hovered on the step for a minute until Aerith stepped out and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she whispered. Cloud nodded, his cheeks reddening a little.

"Um…I…I don't suppose you'd like to…go for lunch or something," he asked. "I mean it's okay if you don't I'll understand and I'm not forcing you or anything I just would really like you to say yes but if you say no then…" She giggled and suddenly pressed her finger to his lips in a request for silence.

"I think that's the most I've ever heard you talk in one breath," she teased. He blushed and looked down. "I'd love to have lunch with you," she said. He grinned.

"I'll meet you in the lunch hall then."

"Cloud?" she called as she watched him walk down the steps. He turned back to face her. "Goodnight," she grinned. He ran a hand through his hair as a small smile tugged at his lips.

"Goodnight,"

Almost as soon as the door closed, Cloud heard a high-pitched giggle coming from a nearby alleyway. Frowning, he peered into the darkness, trying to make out a figure. He almost screamed when Reno and Yuffie jumped out at him, the latter clutching her sides with laughter, her index finger pointing at the blonde. Reno patted him on the back, a smirk evident on his lips.

"Nice going mate! It's been one day, and you're already smitten," he said. Yuffie laughed harder at this before she met Reno's eyes. They both smirked before mockingly repeating Cloud's actions.

"Goodnight!" they sighed dreamily, leaning dramatically against each other before they burst into hysterics all over again. Cloud lowered his head in embarrassment and muttered something but the pair paid no attention. Yuffie skipped around him chanting.

"You love her! You want to kiss her! You want to…"

"Yuffie!" Cloud snapped warningly. She giggled but said nothing more as Reno gently took her arm. Cloud shook his head. "I can't believe you guys were spying on me."

"What did you expect us to do?" Reno asked. "Miss you embarrassing yourself?"

"And trust me, it was worth it," Yuffie added with a large smirk. "It's almost as good as a free meal at Materia!"

"You and Materia," Reno muttered softly. She ignored the comment.

"So, where are you thinking of taking her?" she asked Cloud. The blonde looked a bit panicked at the realisation that he hadn't thought of a place to take Aerith.

"I don't see what's wrong with McDonalds," Reno muttered. Yuffie glared.

"You can't take a girl on a date to McDonalds!" she said shrilly.

"You don't care!"

"I don't count!" she snapped. "Do I look like the kind of girl that sits watching Titanic seven days in a row and then cry at the same damn part?"

"Er," Reno replied, looking her up and down. "No?"

"Well then," she snapped in a conclusive manner.

"Yuffie, have you ever watched Titanic?" Cloud asked thoughtfully. Yuffie shuddered.

"Once when Tifa forced me too," she replied. "When that blonde guy died, she cried and I felt sick. When the ending came, I actually did throw up."

"Nice," the blonde muttered, wrinkling his nose as they approached his house.

* * *

"So, you're not mad at me?" Zack asked, tilting his head to look at Tifa. She shook her head and patted the cushion beside her. The youth took the offer and planted himself on the sofa next to her.

"I was surprised if I'm being honest," she answered. "But, why didn't you tell any of us?"

"Well, it was over before it had really begun," he replied with a shrug. "She was in love with somebody else." Tifa looked down in guilt before she reached and took Zack's hand.

"I know I've spent a lot of time lately pining for Cloud," she said. "But, like you said he's moved on from what could have been and it's time for me to move on too."

Zack opened his mouth to speak but he was cut off as Tifa leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"Everything's going to be okay now," she whispered.

* * *

Did I mention how happy I was?


	8. Chapter 8

Oh deary me! This is bad update record even for me. /taps screen/ Is anyone there? I'm so sorry for the wait guys. Just a million things happening at once in the past year and almost all of my stories have suffered a lack of updates. But three months of summer holidays now so should get a few of these out of the way at last.

**School Dance**

With an estrangled cry, Tifa slumped into the chair beside Zack a deep frown cut into her pretty face. Yuffie, sitting opposite merely raised an eyebrow before being distracted by Reno leaning over her and stealing a few chips off her plate.

"What's up?" Zack asked, slinging his arm to rest on the back of her chair. Tifa sighed and slowly turned to face him.

"I haven't found a dress yet," she replied resting her head on her arms with a misrable sigh.

"Oh," commented Zack taking a sip of his drink. "There was me thinking the world had ended or something."

Tifa glared at him with such ferocity that the chuckle died in Zack's throat before it could even be heard. Yuffie finally managed to pull her attention away from Reno enough to shake her head at Zack. "Never insult a woman on fashion issues Zack. Even tom-boys like Tifa secretly love being girly for once."

"Have you got a dress yet?" Reno asked, raising an eyebrow. Yuffie snorted and turned to him again with a serious look on her face.

"No," she answered simply. The red-head exchanged a confused glance with the other male present before sliding into the chair next to Yuffie.

"Please explain," he said with a grin. Yuffie swallowed her food and gave a long sigh.

"I'm not a girly person at all," she replied.

"But you said even tom-boy women like to be girly for once so why not you? You're a tom-boy," Zack pointed out. Yuffie shook her head.

"Okay I phrased it wrong. Tifa may be more of a tom-boy but she's also girly okay? She likes make-up and dresses and fairy-tale malarky. I, however, am a tom-boy through and through!" she answered proudly. "Right Teef?"

"Mhm," the brunette answered without even looking up. Zack rolled his eyes.

"Just go to the shops and find a dress!" he muttered. Yuffie winced.

At that moment, Cloud and Aerith appeared and caused Tifa enough distraction to not punch Zack's lights out in irritation. As the couple took the two spare seats beside Tifa and Reno, Yuffie and the red-head exchanged amused glances before Yuffie turned to Cloud.

"You're pushing the boat out aren't you?" she teased. Cloud looked up from his tray.

"Ha ha," he commented dryly. "We're going out for dinner instead of lunch. Aerith wants to show me her dress."

Zack and Reno exchanged wide grins at the implications while Tifa gave a wail and collapsed once again in a heap. Cloud raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth but Zack shook his head.

"Not worth your life mate," he muttered but yelped suddenly as Tifa aimed a kick at his ankle.

"There's a sale on at H&M you know?" Aerith commented suddenly. "There was a gorgeous dark blue dress there. I loved it but blue isn't my colour at all." Cloud grunted to let her know he was listening. Reno and Yuffie had both went back to their plates while Zack sat with a bored look on his face, twirling his keys between his fingers. Aerith took a drink and glanced at Tifa. She hadn't moved at all. Clearing her throat, she continued. "And the shape was all wrong for me as well. The sizes that were left were more for girls with..um...a bit more..." she drifted off, pointing to her chest area. "I took a picture of it though because I thought my cousin would like it." Tifa's head slowly rose and she looked at Aerith as she showed off the dress.

"It's gorgeous," she breathed, staring at the picture before her. "It's in the sale?" she repeated. Aerith nodded cheerfully. Tifa's face took on a thoughtful expression before it fell again. "The sale ends today though! There's no way I'll get there in time," she muttered. Aerith shook her head.

"My Auntie Elmyra works there. I could pull a few strings for you if you want it."

Tifa's eyes widened. "Could you?" she cried, leaping out of her chair and pulling Aerith into a bear-hug. "Oh thank you so much Aerith! I'll go straight after school to try it on!"

"Could you not break her back please Tifa?" Cloud asked, his fork halfway towards his mouth as he gaped at the scene in front of him. But the girls only laughed and Tifa gave him a playful slap.

"Oh sure. He gets the playful slap, I get the broken ankle," Zack muttered.

"That's because you're an idiot," Yuffie said without looking up.

"I better go," Reno said looking at his watch. "Rufus wanted to talk to me about something; wants help with a test or something I guess." Yuffie shrugged in reply as Reno got up and left.

"I better go too, I'll be late for football practice otherwise," Zack said, smiling warmly at Tifa before leaving. Now that she was in a brighter mood, she returned the smile with her own radient grin and waved after him. The table fell into an amiable silence as they finished off their lunches. But after a few moments of this, Cloud and Tifa looked at each other and then at Yuffie. It was the longest the youngest had ever went without saying anything at all. And even more strange was the fact that she wasn't eating anything either despite the fact that her plate still had plenty on it. Aerith suddenly became aware that something was wrong and glanced around, finally resting her gaze on Yuffie as well.

"Yuffs," Tifa began gently.

"Huh?" the girl started and looked over at her older friend. Tifa frowned slightly and cast a glance at Cloud again, who shrugged.

"Are you alright?" she asked in the same motherly tone.

"Yeah of course," Yuffie replied, shaking herself a little and sitting up to start eating her lunch again. The other three continued to stare silently until Yuffie sighed dramtically. "No!" she wailed, collapsing onto her arms. Tifa blinked slowly and Aerith cast a confused glance at Cloud.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.

"I don't have a dress," Yuffie replied, finally sitting up.

"But you said you didn't want a dress!"

"Duh! It was meant to throw him off so that when I got a dress he would be surprised."

"Oh," was all Tifa could respond with. Yuffie didn't seem bothered by this and continued on regardless.

"But I kept putting it off because, well, I hate shopping. But now, I've left it too late! What will I do?"

"Don't look at me!" Cloud declared suddenly. "I know nothing about dresses!"

"Except that time when your mum came home and found -ah!" Tifa was cut off as Cloud flung a handful of chips directly into her face, causing her to fling her hands up in an attempt to sheild herself. But Yuffie had suddenly perked up and Aerith was looking intruged.

"What happened?" she asked looking between Cloud and Tifa.

"He once wore his mother's dress," she giggled.

"I was three years old!" Cloud cried, his voice suddenly going high-pitched and causing some pupils to cast amused glances towards them. This just sent the girls into harder laughter and Cloud slided down in his chair a little.

"I'm sorry sweetie," Aerith said as seriously as she could while her eyes still sparkled with the smirk. She leaned over and kissed his cheek but he just huffed and looked in the other direction stubbornly. "I think you at three years old is incredably cute," she added, giving him a playful nudge with her shoulder. His lips twitched slightly and he looked back at her with a smirk of his own.

"Well I suppose it is," he said, casting a triumphant look at Tifa who pulled a mock-hurt face back at him.

"Anyway, about your dress Yuffie," Aerith said, looking away from Cloud. "I think I might have something that will suit you."

"Really?" Yuffie asked, leaning forward in excitement. Aerith nodded.

"I'll meet you after school if you like and take you to my house to see it. Cloud and I aren't going out until seven."

"Aerith, you are a star! I love you!" Yuffie cried. "Not in that way of course so don't get too worked up chocobo head!" Cloud stuck his tongue out in response as the bell rang out signalling the end of the lunch break.


End file.
